Swimming is a statutory requirement within national curriculum physical education. All pupils are required to participate at key stage 1 or 2 schools must provide the opportunity for pupils to learn water safety and develop the ability to swim 25 metres confidently.
By the end of year 6 every child must meet the statutory minimum standard of capability and confidence in swimming and self-rescue as set out in the national curriculum (2013). Many pupils will achieve significantly more than this.
Our primary school swimming programme is provided through a school swimming management group, made up of head teachers and business managers from all of our primary schools with swimming pools. This co-ordinated, high quality programme is non-profit and values swimming and water safety as a vital life skill.
What we offer
- delivery of one lesson per week throughout the school year with a choice of year group attending. Extra sessions can be provided at an additional cost
- a schools swimming development manager to organise, manage and co-ordinate the programme, including:
- monitoring and evaluation of the quality of lessons in the pools used for the delivery of national curriculum swimming lessons
- provide oversight of pupil attendance, progression and attainment regarding national curriculum outcomes
- provide regular liaison with swimming teachers, school sports partnerships, county aquatic co-ordinators and national governing bodies
- planning, organisation and delivery of training and development for swimming teachers
- plan, organise and deliver high quality and comprehensive training opportunities for school staff who accompany children participating in swimming and water safety lessons.
- Provide quality assurance across the pools used (includes quality of provision, health and safety etc.)
- determining all policy, procedures and guidance for the programme alongside physical education specialists
- lead in the co-ordination and delivery of Level 2 and Level 3 school games with County Durham’s School Sports Partnership and County School Games organisers
- work in partnership with Swim England and other external partners on behalf of the local authority
- work with national partners to promote and publicise County Durham’s swimming programme as a model of outstanding practice
- co-ordinate with the school swimming management group and head teachers regarding the service level agreement (SLA)
- liaise and co-ordinate programming with our transport team
- tuition from fully qualified level 2 swimming teachers with nationally recognised rescue test for swimming teachers and coaches certificates
- guidance and information on school swimming programming and models of delivery
- provide opportunities for schools to participate in additional lessons during the summer term, for pupils who have not achieved national curriculum outcomes. (additional costs apply)
- identification of gifted and talented pupils and provide sign posting opportunities for additional opportunities for participation
- continuous professional development opportunities for school swimming teachers over a minimum of three days per year
- provide schools with the accessibility to real time pupil, attendance, progress and attainment data via a data reporting portal system
- provide schools with a minimum of 34 weeks swimming within the SLA entitlement before any reimbursement entitlement considerations. (separate to swimming continuous professional development training)
- provide schools with current and up to date information and resources for water safety during the year
As part of the agreement, schools must:
- ensure all pupils attending lessons have the necessary and appropriate swimwear, towels and swimming hats prior to leaving the school at the agreed time
- ensure all pupils follow the health and safety rules and policies of the swimming pool and local authority at all times
- ensure class sizes do not exceed the recommended safe supervision recommendations ratio of 24:1 in the swimming pool at any time
- provide swimming teaching staff with current and accurate class registers, details of medical conditions and special education needs, support plans and cancellations
- ensure all pupil and class information is accurate using Swimphony
- ensure that designated school staff accompanying classes, fully participate in the safe supervision and delivery of lessons and take responsibility for all pupils throughout their time away from school
- where pupils have identified SEND conditions, disabilities or there is a potential for situations to arise, ensure additional staff attend to support pupils throughout their lessons